Ignitiokt appabattjs



A. V. PELLET.

IGNITION APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20.1919.

1,330,952. I Patented Feb. 17,1920.

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UNITED SEAS AUGUSTE V. PELLET, OF CHIGAGQ, ILLINOIS.

rem-Tron arrana'rus.

Application filed June 20, 1919.

of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to ignition apparatus, more particularly to low. tension ignition apparatus of the class wherein the spark electrodes are opened electro-magnetically. Among its objects my invention contemplates 1st. The provision of an apparatus of this class, which is of economical and compact construction and entirely reliable in its operation.

2nd. A device of the class mentioned wherein the separation of the stationary and movable spark electrodes is effected quickly at the proper instant in the cycle of the engine with which it is employed.

3rd. A device of this class that requires so little electrical energy for its operation that it is admirably suitable for use in connection with dry cell batteries.

4th. A. device of this class so constructed and arranged that the electrical and mechanical lag of its component parts are constant so that when its associated timer has once been set the separation of the electrodes and occurrence of the spark will always be effected at the proper instant in the cycle ofen ine operation.

y invention consists'in the: construction, combination and arrangement of parts whereby I attain the foregoing and other objects more fully set forth in the following detailed description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in elevation and partly in section of an ignition appara tus embodying the improvements of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with parts of the plug and stationary electrode broken away more clearly to reveal the mechanism therdbeneath;

Fi 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view taken Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented were. it, race.

Serial No. 305,597.

on line 4& of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, this view illustrating the lost-motion connection between the oscillatory armature and the movable electrode.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. At 10 l have illustrated a plug arranged to be inserted in the usual aperture in the wall of an internal combustion engine cylinder, the said plug being conveniently provided with a. flange 11 to facilitate its attachment to the cylinder in the usual manner. The plug carries stationary and movable spark electrodes 12 and 13 provided with coiiperating contact points, as shown. The stationaryelectrode is insulated from the plug by insulating bushing 14, of any suitable form, and at its outer end the stationary electrode is provided with a suitable terminal 15. The movable or rocking electrode 13 is provided at its inner end with a beveled shoulder cooperating with a correspondingly shaped seat in the inner end of the plug, providing the usual gas tightjoint. The construction of the plug and the mounting of the electrodes is conventional and my invention is not concerned with the details thereof. My invention, as hereinafter described, is equally applicable to the type of plug which is threaded into the cylinder instead of being secured thereto by a flange, as shown.

Conveniently attached to the fian e 11 by screws l6l6 is a pair of plates ll7 of brass or other non-magnetic material against the inner surfaces of which are disposed The plates 1818 of magnetic material. ends of the plates 1818, nearest the plug, are conformed. to provide pole faces; 2'. e. the upper edge of one and the lower edge of the ot or are beveled at 19-19, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, to coiiperate with an. oscillatory armature presently to be described.

The supporting plates 1717 are conveniently cut away adjacent the beveled portions of plates l818.-so as not to interfere with the armature member. Two pairs of screws 20-20 support the magnetic plates 1818 and securely clamp the same to the ends of a soft iron core 21. The core 21 carries a winding 22 which is provided with the usual supporting spool '23 of fiber or other suitable material. One end of the winding is connected with the terminal 15 of the fixed electrode -12, whereas the other end of said winding is electrically connected with ter= minal 2% carried by a bridge 24c of fiber or other insulating material which is secured to the ends of plates 18-18 by screws 25-25.

Fixed upon the outer end of the movable electrode shaft is a lever 26 consisting of a substantially U shaped piece of metal, the legs of which are drawn together by screw 27 securely to clamp the lever upon the movable electrode shaft, a spring 28 normally acting against lever 26 to hold the electrode contacts closed. Said spring is coiled around a post 29 projecting horizontally from the plug, one end of the spring being embedded in the plug, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 8, while the other end of the spring bears against the lever 26, as shown. Loosely mounted upon the outer end of the movable electrode shaft 13 is an armature .30 of magnetic material retained on the movable electrode shaft by a cotter pin 31. The armature is disposed at an angle of substantially 45 degrees to a horizontal plane passing through the oppositely disposed magnetic plates 18 18, so that one end of the armature lies opposite and cooperates with the beveled upper surface of one of the magnetic plates 18, while the other end of the armature lies opposite and cooperates with the beveled under surface of the other magnetic plate 18. The armature, while being loosely mounted on the movable electrode shaft, has lost-motion connection with the lever 26. The armature is provided with a hub 32 having a segment missing therefrom to provide an opening 33 into which pro jects a. tongue 34- which is formed integral with the U shaped lever 26. The tongue is considerably narrower than the opening in the armature hub so that the armature may have a certain amount of movement independently of the lever 26. A coiled spring 85 wound around the hub 32 and having one end embedded in the aperture 36 of the armature and the other end bearing against post 29 normally tends to turn the armature in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, 2'. 6., the spring tends to move the ends of the armature away from the pole face portions of the magnetic plates. Thus normally both of the springs 35 and 28 tend to keep the movable electrode contact in engagement with the stationary electrode contact.

The ends of the armature faces nearest the pole faces are provided with small pegs 3636 of fiber or other non-magnetic mate rial to prevent the armature from at any time coming into actual mechanical contact with the pole faces, thus preventing mag-- netic adhesion of the armature and pole faces when the winding 22 is deenergized, permitting the armature to return to nor rnal position practically instantaneously with the deenergization of the winding. "llhe members the pole faces 19 incense 36-86 need not necessarily be in the form of fiber pegs, as shown. Practically any non-magnetic material carried by the ends of the armature, which will prevent the ends of the'armature from coming into actual physical contact with-the pole faces, will serve the same purpose.

When the device is in use, the terminal 24: is suitably connected with a source of current 37, preferably a battery of dry cells, and in circuit with the timer which has been diagrammatically illustrated as comprising a contact arm 38 riding upon a disk 39 of insulating material carried by the cam shaft 40 of the engine, the diskbeing provided with a grounded sector ll with which the contact arm cooperates to close the circuit of winding 22 once for each revolution of the cam shaft.

It will be understood that the movable electrode is grounded to the plug and thence to the engine in the usual manner and that the electrode contacts are normally closed. Therefore each time the segment 41 of disk 40 engages contact arm 38 the circuit is closed from battery 37 through contact arm 38 and grounded segment all; (grounded to the engine frame) thence from ground to the movable electrode 13, thence to the stationary or insulated electrode 12, thence through winding 22 and back to battery. As soon as the circuit just traced is closed the winding 22 is energized and the plates lS-18 become magnetized and cause the ends of the armature to be attracted toward '19 0f the said magnetic plates 18-18. During the first part of the movement of the armature the movable electrode remains unaffected thereby. However, as soon as the armature has moved a certain pro-determined distance, and has attained a certain amount of inertia, the hub 32- sharply strikes the tongue 35% of lever member 26 and opens the. spark electrode contacts, causing a spark to pass between the contacts, it being understood that the windin r 22 has sufficient inductance to serve not only its armature actuating function but serves as a kick coil as well.

' As soon as the contacts have been separated the circuit including winding'22 is, of course, opened and the winding becomes deenergized, resulting in the demagnetization of the plates 18-18 whereupon the springs 27 and 35 return the movable electrode and armature to their normal positions. The fiber pegs 3G3(3 prevent magnetic adhesion of the arn'iatiu'e and pole faces and permit the armature to be restored to normal practically simultaneously with the deenergization of winding 22, it will be understoodthat if the circuit has not been opened at the timer in the meanwhile the winding will be again energized as soon as the electrode contacts close an l the operation just described neeaeaa will be repeated. This is particularly advantageous at starting and at low speed when a rapid series of hot sparks is desirable.

It will loe understood that the magnetic and mechanical lag of the several parts of my improved ignition apparatus will be constant under all conditions of operation wherefor the passing of the spark can be accurately timed solely by adjusting the timer, which of course may either be fixed once and for all or may be adjustable to advance or retard the occurrence of the spark.

While I have illustrated one specific embodiment of my invention it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular construction shown but claim all equivalent constructions coming within the terms and spirit of the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a .plug, a stationary electrode carried by said plug, a movable electrode comprising a rock shaft, also carried by said plug, spring means tending to hold the movable electrode in engagement with the stationary electrode, an armature loosely" mounted on said rock shaft and having lostmotion connection therewith, pole pieces cooperating with said armature, a winding for magnetizing said pole pieces, and spring means tending to hold said armature out of engagement with said pole pieces, said last mentioned spring means taking up the lost-motion between said armature and said rock shaft and normally-cooperating with the first mentioned spring means to hold the movable electrode in engagement with the stationary electrode.

2. A device of the class described comprising a plug, a stationary electrode carried by said plug, a movable electrode comprising a rock shaft, also carried by said plug, spring means tending to hold the movable electrode in engagement with the stationary electrode. an armature having a lost-motion connection with said rock shaft, pole pieces cooperating with said armature, a winding for magnetizing said pole pieces and spring means tending to hold said armature out of the engagement with, said pole pieces.

A device of the class described comprising stationary and movable spark electrodes, spring means normally tending to hold said electrodes in the engagement with each other, an electro-magnet, an oscillatory armature 'for said electro-magnet, spring means normally holding said armature in retracted position and a lost-motion connection between said armature and said movable electrode.

4. A device of the class described comprising in combination with stationary and movable spark electrodes, spring means normally holding the movable electrode in engagement with the stationary electrode, an electro-magnet and an oscillatory armature for said electro-magnet, said armature being mounted co-axially with said movable electrode and having lost-motion connection therewith.

5. A device of the class described comprising in combination with stationary and movable spark electrodes,.spring means normally holding the movable electrode in engagement with the stationary electrode, an electro-magnet and an oscillatory armature for said electro-magnet, said armature being' mounted co-axially with said movable electrode and having lost-motion connection therewith, together with spring means assoelated with said armature normally holding the latter in retracted position.

6. A device of the class described comprisinga plug,- stationary and movable spark electrode carried thereby, an electro-magnet carried by said plug, spring means normally holding the electrodes in closed position, an armature for said electro-magnet mounted for oscillation around an aXis co-incident with-the axis of said movable electrode and having lost motion pin and slot connection therewith and adapted to move the latter out of engagement with the stationary electrode when the armature is attracted.

7; A device of the class described comprising a plug, stationary and movable spark electrodes carried thereby, an electro-magnet carried by sa-id'plug, and an armature for said electro-magnet mounted for oscillation around an axis co-incident with the axisof said movable electrode and having lost motion pin and slot connection therewith and adapted to move the latter out of engagement with the stationary electrode when the armature is attracted, together with spring means tending to hold the armature in retracted position.

8. A device of the class described comprising a plug, stationary and movable electrodes carried by said plug, a pair of supporting plates of non-magnetic material projecting from said plug, said plates being parallel with each other and parallel with the axis of said movable electrode, magnetic plates providing pole faces carried on the runner faces of said supporting plates, a winding. for magnetizing said magnetic plates and an oscillatory armature influenced by said pole faces, said armature consisting of a bar of magnetic material pivoted intermediate its ends and normally disposed with one end. opposite one edge of one of said magnetic plates and with its other end opposits the opposite edge of the other magnetic plate, and means'connecting said armature with said movable electrode.

9. A device of the class described com- 9 assess prising a plug, stationary and movable elec trodes' carried by said plug, a pair of supporting plates of non-magnetic material. projecting from said plug, said plates being parallel with each other and parallel with the axis of said movable electrode, magnetic plates providing pole faces carried on the inner faces of said supporting plates, a winding for magnetizing said magnetic plates and an oscillatory armature influenced by said pole faces, said armature consisting of a bar of magnetic material pivoted. in-

termediate its ends and normally disposed with one end opposite one edge of one of said magnetic plates and with its other end opposite the opposite edge of the other magnetic plate, and means connecting said armature with said electrode, together with spring means normally holding the armature in retracted position.

10. A device of the class described comprising a plug, stationary and movable electrodes carried by said plug, a pair of supporting plates of non-n'lagnetic material projecting from said plug, said plates being parallel with each other and parallel with the axis of said movable electrode, magnetic platesproviding pole faces carried on the inner faces of said supporting plates, a winding for magnetizing said magnetic plates and an oscillatory armature influenced by said pole faces, said armature consisting of a bar of magnetic material pivoted intermediate its ends and normally disposed with one end opposite one edge of one of said magnetic plates and with its other end opposite the opposite edge of the other magby, an electro-magnet carried by said plu an armature "for said electro-magnet adapted when attracted to move a substantial distance and then to strike the movable electrode to effect the separation of the electrodes, spring means holding the armature in retracted position and non-magnetic means carried by armature arranged to prevent the armature from coming into physical contact with the electromagnet pole pieces.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day ct June, 1919.

anons'rn v, P-ELLET.

Witnesses EDNA V. GUsTAFsoN, Manna Caorrr. 

